Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Bad news for the Angels, as the team announced on Wednesday that outfielder Josh Hamilton is set for thumb surgery and will likely be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks. Hamilton injured his left thumb while sliding head-first into first base on Tuesday night against the Mariners, and a subsequent MRI revealed a torn ligament. The surgery will be performed in the coming days in Los Angeles.

The Angels have thus placed Hamilton on the 15-day DL, and they’ve recalled outfielder J.B. Shuck to take his place on the active roster. Shuck will be available to play Wednesday night.

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Well, the 2014 season was fun while it lasted. On second though, it really wasn't all that fun at all. On the plus side, the hockey playoffs last about two months, which should leave just a short break until college football season.

On the one hand, sliding into first base is stupid, sliding headfirst is stupider, and injuries like this (to say nothing of accidentally getting stomped on) are the primary reason why.

On the other hand, of all the loathsome players on the loathsome Angels team, Josh Hamilton is the guy I loathe the least. Like him quite a bit in fact, despite the fact that he's a Halo. So this is a real shame, especially because he was off to a remarkably hot start to the season and was using a batting approach that made one think it was sustainable. Hope he returns 100%.

Phillies announcers were talking about this. They were all in agreement that sliding into first base is a dumb mistake, which was nice to hear. One of them said "He's gotta learn the hard way" or something. Then another one said "But he's already a veteran, so..."

(note: I don't know who the Phillies announcers are yet. Where are Sarge and Chris "Generic Announcer" Wheeler?)

(note: I don't know who the Phillies announcers are yet. Where are Sarge and Chris "Generic Announcer" Wheeler?)

Didn't Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs join the Phillies TV team? Are they not doing color? Or did they just join to sit at a desk on a pre game /post game show or something? I could swear I hold them in the booth doing a ST game though...

If I were a manager I would ban my players from sliding into 1B. I really don't see the point. The studies are conflicting as to whether it's an advantage or not. Unless you need to duck a tag or something, I see no point to it at all.

Didn't Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs join the Phillies TV team? Are they not doing color? Or did they just join to sit at a desk on a pre game /post game show or something? I could swear I hold them in the booth doing a ST game though...

They are in the booth. I seriously can't tell them apart. (They don't seem to be getting good reviews so far.) When I have the option I switch the radio broadcast because I really enjoy Franzke and Andersen.

Sarge and Wheeler got fired soon after the new contract. Comcast was given the right to name announcers and their first act was to name them as "Not Wheeler and Sarge." Which was a blessing. I think both stayed on with the Phillies in PR roles. (I know Wheeler did; I'm pretty sure Sarge did as well.)

If I were a manager I would ban my players from sliding into 1B. I really don't see the point. The studies are conflicting as to whether it's an advantage or not. Unless you need to duck a tag or something, I see no point to it at all.

They were talking about this on YES last night (Michael Kay, Ken Singleton and a third guy). Singleton mentioned that Bobby Valentine had tried to ban his players from sliding into 1st while he was with the Mets. Valentine showed them videotape that demonstrated that it's quicker to run through the bag than it is to slide into it. But it didn't matter. At a certain point, instinct takes over- even if it's dumb instinct- and players dive for first base when they shouldn't.

Many players say sliding headfirst simply feels like the most effective approach. Some say it's faster, some say it makes it easier to avoid a tag, and some say it's the surest way not to slide past the base. Whatever the reason, the headfirst slide has become so routine that in an age when some players are criticized as overpaid and indifferent, it has come to represent the gritty, hard-nosed style fans like.

Even the coaches and managers who preach against it accept it as part of the culture. Few teach the headfirst slide and many explicitly discourage it. But knowing they have little control over their players' sliding habits, they are reluctant to dwell on the issue. "You hold your breath every time it happens," Yankees manager Joe Torre said, "but I don't think you can do a whole lot about it."

Even when it comes to sliding headfirst into first base, a practice many see as both pointless and dangerous, coaches and managers have largely stopped trying to change their players' ways. Last year, Mets manager Bobby Valentine was widely criticized because several players, notably Roberto Alomar and Rey Ordoñez, frequently slid headfirst into first base. But Valentine, who was fired after the season, said managers cannot control their players' every decision.

"Every team of the 30 teams will stress during spring training that sliding headfirst into home plate, for instance, is absolutely taboo," Valentine said. "And I'll guarantee you all 30 teams will have more than one guy slide into home plate headfirst during the season."

I was talking to a friend of mine who used to play pro ball (never got to the majors) last night about this. He reaffirmed that it was a dumb idea, and he was not surprised at the players who had done it this season. he also said that they are taught to look for throws that may pull the first baseman off the bag so they can slide if a tag is the only way to get them out. I'm wondering if teaching this in these instances is just enforcing bad habits when its not necessary though. Either way having Puig and Hamilton out for awhile is good for the rest of the West.